The Formula for a Successful Capital Campaign

In my over twenty years of helping churches hold capital campaigns, I have found that the majority of mistakes made, happen BEFORE the campaign even starts. To help you avoid these mistakes let me show you what you need to know and do BEFORE your next campaign.

So, let’s get started by understanding…

The winning formula for a successful campaign is Information + Inspiration + Time = Success. If you want to raise maximum dollars, you need to adhere to this formula. Let me break this down.

“People are down on what they are not up on.” A consultant I worked with used to say that to clients. It is particularly true when it comes to people making gifts larger than they are used to.

So, if you want to achieve maximum dollars you need to over-communicate. Inform, inform, and then inform! Whatever you are asking your donors to support must make sense to them. Do you have a plan to carry to completion what you are asking them to do? To gain the dollars you need, you must fully inform your donors of the what, when, why, and where of your campaign.

Touch the heart to reach the pockets of your donors. Donors need to be inspired to give. Your vision must be clear, concise but most of all compelling. Be aware that if the heart is not impacted the gift will be small.

Here is a truth you MUST embrace! The more compelling the vision is, the more significant the gift will be. To inspire your donors, you must communicate the vision of the “ask” in such a way that their hearts are moved.

Spiritually driven campaigns inspire donors more than anything. You are not raising funds as much as you are raising faith. What separates a non-profit campaign from a church campaign? It should be our spiritual focus. You are asking people to get in on what God is doing. Bathe your campaign in prayer and your donors will more likely be inspired to give to support that campaign with faith-driven commitments.

Finally, give donors the time to take the journey. You cannot rush the process and still see success. One of the most frustrating things for pastors and staff is how long it sometimes takes our members to get on board with what we are proposing. Yet, if you hurry the process, you risk the results. The bigger the “ask” the more time your donors will need to get their arms around what it is you are asking them to do. The more time you give to your campaign the more likely it is you will raise what you want and need.

So, remember, successful capital campaigns are not something you go lightly into. If you want to raise dollars remember the formula, Information + Inspiration + Time = Success.